Buzzzzy Bee

Mama, you play with me?

My daughter is one busy bee. It seems as though the girl is in constant motion- buzzing from one activity to the next. She's at that age where her sponge-like brain requires a lot of stimulation, but I have found that's true with any three-year-old, right? It's such a magical age, but for me - it can be exhausting to come up with all the activities and games to keep her learning and entertained and not glued to the TV.

So - just on the off-chance that I'm not alone in my perils, I thought I'd share a few of Joleen's favorite toys/games/books/apps and I hope to add to my list with some of your three-year-old's favorites.

Continue reading to check out a few of Joleen's favorite goodies...

This craft-box is FULL of everything your little one needs to make HOURS worth of crafts. Joleen LOVES this box - she received it as a gift for her third birthday, and it was one of the best gifts she received. This is a GREAT gift-idea if your toddler has been invited to a birthday party coming up.

This learning-toy by Melissa & Doug has four doors and four keys that fit into one of those doors. Your little one has to figure out which key opens the locks. This toy keeps Joleen challenged and entertained for days.

Joleen LOVES LOVES LOVES this book and as a parent, I love it because the message is one I'm 100% down with.

 Pete the Cat books are the perfect books for girls and boys. Joleen ADORES I Love My White Shoes. It's a super cute book about a smooooothe cat who just goes with the flow. The BEST part about this book is you can go HERE and download the song where the book is read along with the song that goes with it.

Joleen's favorite game is hide-and-seek. I mean, she would ask me to play it all day, everyday. To her, this game never gets old. For me, after hours - I'm a bit over it. My saving grace? This hide-and-seek toy. You hide the animal and the wand helps your kid hunt it down. Yes - you still have to hide the damn thing, but if you give a it a really good hiding spot (inside or outside) it will take them awhile to find it.

This day in age there are a gazillion toddler apps to choose from, and it can be difficult to decipher what's really worth spending your money on. This game is a MUST - 'Bugs and Bubble'. It's one that Joleen can sit and play and play and play. It teaches coordination, colors, shapes, handwriting, and much much more. Not only is it a fun game teaching her valuable learning skills, but it's also tailored to your child's skill level and adjusts at they advance or need more help in certain areas - It's also just a really cute app.

This app is superb - for every letter of the alphabet there is a corresponding food and activity or video to help your child learn not only their letters, but more about food. For example, 'C' is for cranberries and there is a video about how they grow and harvest them.